Machine-tool control.



A. L. 115 LEE-UW. MACHINE TOOL CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.19 1 I913.

Patented June 29, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Gum/"aga A. L. DE LEEUW, MACHINE TOOL CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, I913.

Patented June 29, 191.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

we; M

I A. L. DE LEEUW.

MACHINE TOOL CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19. 1913.

7 1,144,935. Patented June 29, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

wit-mm lV/TzVESSES:

A TTORNE Y.

A. L DE LEEUW.

MACHINE TOOL CONTROL.

APPLlCATION men FEB. 19. 1913.

1,144,935. Patented June 29, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

FIGS.

W/ TN [535155 1N VE 1V TO R.

A TTORN/Z I MAIN CLUTCH E DYNAMO POWER-DRIVEN SLEEVE A. L'. 05 LEEUW. MACHINE TOOL CONTROL. APPLICATfQN FILED FEB. 19, 19H].

' Patented June 29; 1915.

5 SHEETSSHE%I 5.

[NVEN TOR.

A TTORNE. Y

srarns PATENT OFFICE.

@EEOLEE L. E3 LEEUW, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CINCINNATI MILLING EilhGHl-TNE GODIEANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MACHINE-TOOL CONTBOIi.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1915.

Application filed February 19, 1913. Serial No. 749,292.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AnoLrH L: DE Lnn'ow, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and Eltate of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machine-Tool Control, or" which the following is a specincation.

This invention deals with an lmproved control sy ror an, operating mechamcal organization, and in its preferred more conous machines to effect a more complete regulation of the automatic operations thereof, as well more elliciently to enable the various dis e vs speeds of the cycle of movements or given machine element to be moderated or amplified in duration, and to provide for wide range of alteration in the reversals in c jC .ianother ob i system afford timing or sequence of speed changes and to establish a controlattendant a wide range of adjnstabh enabling him in the simplest possible nner, and without drawing high order of skill or of understandt he mechanism for automatically ich more or less complex ac- Y e best adapted for accomplishamount of useful work in the time s create an automatic control'systen. of a very simple physical character; composed of as few parts or elements as may be consistent with the capacity and requirements O'f-tllfi system, and which may be, used in connection with conventional hand-operated elements without interference or occasioning undue difficulty or trouble to the attendant, so that should the automatic capacity of the mechanism become impaired or not be required, the attendant will nevertheless be enabled to control the machine by operating hand-levers with all the facility and convenience of conventional machi es.

Another object is to formulate a controlwhich purely mechanical features and actions are coordinated with purely 'cally' to progress through a predetermined alterations or reconstructions as to such maelectrical instrumentalities and efi'ects to the .end that the automatic capacities of the mechanism may be promoted and rendered more efiicient and adaptable to meet the various working conditions that may from time to time arise. v

Another object is to providea mechanical organization in which a work or tool supporting-element may be caused automaticycle of operations, at times under the actuation of a high-power or major driving means, and at-other times being propelled by a low-power or auxiliary driving means: and to do so in such a way as will enable the sequence and duration of such operations to be easily adjusted and determined by the attendant without necessitating complex and costly instrumentalities.

A-further purpose is to devise an instru mentality, largely, electrical in nature, capabio of being adapted to existing machines to enhance the automatic capacities thereof, without necessarily involving extensive chines, and to relate the electrical control features to the purely mechanical control features in such a way that should the former cease to function, the latter will still operate.

An object more especially inhering to the preferred embodiment of this invention is to provide a system of control solenoids for machine tool elements whereby current solenoids, as distinguished from voltage solenoids, may be made available in such a way that they will be excited for brief periods only, as solely when effecting the shift, thereby avoiding heatingof the coils-Waste of current, excessive sparking, and uncertainor tardy actims.

Another object is to devise a clutch-shiftmechanism embodying solenoids as actuating means and mechanical elementsas means for operatively applying the magnetic power.- to effect the shifting of clutches, and to arrange and relate the parts in such a manner that the initial part of the movement will be induced by the magnetic power against the resistance of a spring and the continued part of the movement will be insured by the of its two extreme positions to stop or start or reverse or vary the speed, as the case may be of a traveling support all by automatic trip mechanism actuated in the rst instance by the support itself.

Another object is to devise an arrangement .whereby the table as well as the cutter will come to a stop after all of the pieces bolted thereon have been subjected to the action of the cutter, so that new work may be bolted to the table without liability of injury to the attendant by contact with a rotating cutter.

A more specific object in this connection 1s to provide mechanism whereby the table may be caused rapidly to return to its initial position by merely throwing an appropriate lever, without thereby enabling the attendant to speed up the cutter until the table has completed its return stroke and is ready again to advance.

Another object is to formulate an ar= rangen'ient whereby the table may advance by alternate fast and slow travels; may have a rapid continuous return stroke and by merely throwing a switch lever, its return stroke may be changed in character to correspond exactly with and duplicate the cycle of its advance stroke.

Another object is to make a machine tool more wieldy in operation and manipulation and better responsive to the requirements of 1 the highest order of shop efiiciency; and to do so by utilizing the main or primary power for more deliberately propelling the parts against the greater resistance arising during the tooling periods, and utilizing a secondary source of power, such as a lowpower electric motor, for effecting the more rapid but comparatively free movements of the purely positioning operations, and incidentally providing for throwing the motor into short-circuit to form a dynamic brake operative during certain stages in the cycle of operations quickly to bring the moving parts to a more or less cushioned standstill and avoid undue shock or strain.

Another object is to enhance the efficiency of machine-tools while yet promoting the safety of the same.

Another object is to, design an electrical control-system for a machine tool that will be extremely simple in point of installation involving but few and simple parts; which will be extrem ly handy from a ma- -nipulative standpoint; which by the'mere throwing of a switch can effect a radical change in the operation of the machine; which will afford every facility in adjustment and permit of effecting a wide range of variation in the automatic operations of the machine; and which may be easily modified for various types of machines and conditions of usage.

} Other objects and advantageswill be in part indicated in the following description, and in part rendered apparent in connection with the annexed drawings.

To enable others skilled in the art so fully, to apprehend the underlying features hereof this invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the said machine. Fig. 3 is a, detail section through the mechanical features of the solenoid operated reverser D. front elevation of the main switch C. Fig. 5 is an axial section thereof. Fig. 6 shows the detailed relationship of the three switch Fig. 4 is a" disks on the switch shaft. Fig. 7 is a section through the motor and solenoid switch used with the clutch-switch B. Fig. 8 is an interior elevation thereof. Fig. 9 is a'section through the main drive magnetic clutch. Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic wiringindicating the electrical relationship existing between the various elements of this invention.

Continuing now by way of a more detailed description of the shown exemplification of this invention, it may be preliminarily noted that in machine-tool operations considerable time is usually lost in effecting the actual contact between the tool and the work. The two Will in the first instance be distanced apart, and to save time it is necessary that I either the tool or the work, as the case may he, shall he moved to the other as rapidly as is practical, but thereafter it is necessary that the rate of travel shall be reduced to a point corresponding to the requirements of the ensuing tooling operation. In the case of a milling machine, for example, the work is bolted to a table that travels with relation to a fixed rotary cutter and, either by reason of a succession of separate pieces of work or by reason ofthe broken or interrupted surface of a given piece of work, the time of actual use could be reduced in the aggregate if the table could he caused to travel faster and slower at intervals, correspoi'iding with the duration and frequency of the mere traveling and the actual tooling operations. This class of work calls for an intermittent forward propulsion of the table and a quick continuous return, (3., a forward series of alternating fast-idle travels and slow-workmg feeds, which series (in the ease of a re- .ln another instance, the milling operation succession.

and also into .What are really may be practically rhythmic, and the tahle may reciprocate from one extreme to the tion, the attendant may be enabled to clamp an unfinished second piece of Work on to the advancing end of the table, While the first piece is being tooled; but to avoid loss of time, it is necessary, when the table reverses its direction of travel, to cause it to travel rapidly during the first half of its stroke (While the tool is returning over the finished piece 1. e. through the distance it has just traveled While cutting it) and then the speed of the table-must he reduced to the degree required for the tooling operations, since thctool is now about to start cutting the last added piece of Work, and soon in It will thus be seen that the travel of the carriage may he resolved into What are really positioning movements feeding movements. Technically, the tooling movement is known as a feed and the positionins; or non-tooling increment is termed a traverse or a quick traverse or a quick advance 7, or a quick-return, ac-

treat at either a feed or a traverse rate and to do so in any sequence or dura tion of operations desired.

Turning" now to Figs, 1 and 2, '3'0 represents the base and 71 the column of a machine tool (in this ernhod-iinent a milling machine; and 72 indicates the knee thereof, which is adjustable vertically to bring the Work nearer the cutter. On this knee is a saddle 73 slidahly adjustable in the direction of the axis of tie rotating cutter to position'the Work laterally; and superposing this saddle is the main table or work support 74% that is arranged slidahlv to reciprocate on the saddle 73 in a direction transverse to the axis ofthe spindle supporting the rotary cutter. This spindle is here indicated by 7 5, and it carries a suitahle cutter In this instance, the mashine receives the merrier or primary drivmg: power from a pulley 77 on c suitable nter-shai't 78 through a belt 79 that evels around the periphery of a pulley all that is ionrnaled (see Fig. 9) on a stationary non-rotate? is member 136 fixed at one side of the coluiin of the machine. By means of an interi airing magnetic clutch ll the pulley 80 is given a driving connection, through suitable transmitting elements inch: 5 and gearing 81, with Lian" a shaft the spindle ?e- .helatter 1S positively primary power.

lev 80, as hashe of transmitting elements, such for example as the searing; 82 the illiible it 83, the power pulley 80 is enabled to be brought {through clutch mechanism D and B subsequently to he described.) into propelling relation with the table or support 74-, wherehy the latter may be caused to travel at any predetermined slow rate of travel or so-called feed (the speed of which may he vari d usual in accord ance With the character of the Work to performed by the milling cutter} throegh a mechanical application of the or The parts thus described are actuat d by the major or prir my power and perform the slower but more laborious positioning nature and the ate cili ciency of the machine therefore is cop-endent upon the speed which these moless idle or Waste movements ca out. Preferably this invention proposes auxiliary or secondarv power for the purpose of obtaining these more rapid but non working mo ements and. an auxiliary policy 85 will he arranged in unitary relation with the main pulls providing the latter with a for receiving a small belt over a srnal amster pu column in l-d jonrnaled to the nor below th main-pulley so at a relatively high speed 3 quick-traverse of the table is effected by power derived from 'h's lower auxiliary pulley a: through snitahle I he moon lave a mechanit the isle or support 'T-l; as Will soon be described and While the electrical for this motor may be derived from any convenient source electric motor (see i L" ed on the machine so as of the n'iacliin and driven contiin ally by the auxiliary pulley which is driven in the first instance by le helt passin; in the grooie 85 oi. the main drive puli he follcivii detailed analysis oi this system may he more easily follov ed by first observing that, among other actions it is effective to cause e spindle and the workwit support to he simultaneously inc in proper feeding-relation for milling the WOl'ivI (deriving the power from a main drive} 5 then at another time to disconnect the worksupport from the me or high-power drive and propel it n. by power de 4: icense from an auxiliary or low-power motor while in the meantime permitting the-cutter to be continuously but idly driven by the main power; and at another time automatically to disconnect both the spindle and the worksupport from the main drive, (thus automatically stopping the milling-cutter at the end of the travel of the table) while making provision whereby a hand lever may then cause the auxiliary motor to return the support to its initial position, and incidentally to arrange this hand lever so that while it is operative during the returning interval to keep the motor in action, still its use will not enable the attendant to start up the cutter by connecting it with either source of power and thus avoid danger.

Preferably, this invention embodies electrically-operated control devices as follows: The compound or multiple switch C is arranged to be impositively operated automatically by the traveling support 74 into neutral position and also adapted to bepositively actuated by hand into either of two propelling positions, when desired. This switch in the socalled neutral position opens e magnetioelutch E and thus disconnects the power from the machine, and at the same time, it short circuits the auxiliary motor through enough'resistance to enable it to act as a cushioned dynamic brake to quickly stop the support. In its normalacting position, it connects the motor circuit with the ource of electricity, so as to enable the curent to flow through the motor, unless its circuit is elsewhere opened by another means B, to rotate it in a given direction (whichunder certain circumstances may be determined hy a second revcrser D) and in this position the switch energizes the main magnetic-clutch to drive the spindle of the machine and (under certain circumstances) also the feed mechanism of the traveling support. In a third or hand-reverse position, this multiple switch C effects a current reversal in the circuit of the auxiliary motor, and at the same time leaves the ma netic clutch still deenergized and insures that the automatic capacities of the other devices of the system will be nullified so as not to interfere with the return under hand control. The switch in the preferred embodiment of this invention is thrown into this position 'ofiljfby a hand OPGI'EIlZlC ITBUiT" irrespective of whether it is thrown by hand or by a trip mechanism, its effect will be to cause the table to execute a return stroke while the spindle is stopped. This switch issliown positioned on the machine by Fig. 2, andis shown in structural detail by Figs. 4, 5 and 6. It comprises a cylindrical box 0 having a rear end wall 0 adapting it to be bolted to a part of the machine adja cent the reciprocating work support, and having in its lower part an inlet a for the electric wires. The front end-wall d is removable and, like the rear end-wall'b, is centrally perforated to'provide bearings for the shaft 6 that carriesand enables the knife-supporting disks f, g, and n to be rotated from the intermediate position toward the right or left to close the gaps in certain circuits. These disks are of insulating material, keyed to the shaft 6, and each carries a pair of diametrically opposed segmental-shaped'knives; the knives 2 and w 'on the disk f being plain and closing the forming springfingers that participate onlyv in short circuiting the motor to form the dynamic brake.

Adjacent each of the rotatable disks 7, g and n are stationary insulating supports f 9 and n which serve to position circuit terminal-contacts as follows: The support f has bolted to it in the position shown, the terminals 36 and 41 which form the gap in dicated by 36-41 on the wiring diagram of Fig. 10 which opens the circuit of the magnetic clutch E. Oppositely located are also terminals 37 and '38 forming the gap 3738 of the clutch-switch 'B. When the shaft e is turned to the left, these circuits may be closed, but when it is positioned as shown (neutral) they are open. Similarly, the stationary support 9 carries a terminal 1 that forms the gap 1-3 with the terminal 3; and it also carries the terminal 8 that forms the gap 89 with the terminal 9 which are both closed by the knives o and u when they are to the left. (Note: Terminals 9 and 9 are connected permanently together; and so are terminals 1, 1, 1, etc.) Support 9 also carries the terminal 50 that forms the gap 50-3 with terminal 3, and also it carries terminal 1" that forms the gap 1-8 with terminal 8; which gaps are closed when the disk 9 is in neutral position. Support also carries terminal 3 forminggap 3'?' with terminal 7, and it also carries terminal 8 forming gap 89 with terminal 9, which gaps are closed when the disk 1 has been turned to the right from its neutral position. In like manner. suimort 11 carries a terminal 6 that forms the gap\67 with terminal 7, and it also carries them? that forms gap 24 with terminal 4-,. i chv gaps are both closed when knives 0 and [are to the eft. So also, support 72 carries a terminal 48," forming gap A8---6 with terminal 6; and it carries terminal 5 forming gap554 with terminal 4;jboth of whichgaps are closed when the disk at is in neutral position.

Again, support a carries terminal 6 forming gap 6-1 with terminal 1'; and it carries terminal 2 forming gap 24. with terminal 4; both of which gaps are closed when disk at is turned to the right from its neutral position. This switch is so designed that it may be automatically released by the table and enabled to, spring from either the right or the left into its normal or intermediate position. On the shaft 0 is a handle 86 whereby it may be set by hand either to the right of the neutral position to obtain a travel of the table to the right, or conversely to the left; in which positions it is held by a trip lever 87 engaging with either recess 88 or 89 on a sector 90 fixed to the shaft e, as appears more clearly from Figs. 4 and, 5; The trip lever 87 is urged toward the sector by means of aspring 91 and it is automatically actuated as a result of the impact of a dog 92 adjustable along the table with the cone shaped projection 93 on one arm of the said trip-lever 87. To cause the shaft 6 to turn to its normal or neutral position whenever the trip-lever is actuated, an arm 94 terminates between two plungers 95 and 96 that are each urged by springs 97 and 98 toward the vertical center-line until they are limited in movement by the stop or abutment 99 which is of the same size as the rounded end of the arm 94, and thus the switch will always be resiliently urged toward its neutral position.

The clutch switch B is shown arranged at the junction of the support-propelling screw with both the maj or-power and the auxiliary motor. In the preferred embodiment of this system, the motor at this junction is in permanent mechanical connection with the ulti- "mate support-feeding elements, but the ar-' range'ment also enables the power .to be additionally mechanically connected or disconnected with the same This device also controls the circuit of the motor, and is adapted to open such circuit to cleenergize the motor, so as to enable it to run idly when the majorpower is mechanically connected positively to feed the support. It also may close its portion of the motors circuit, so that the motor may be energized by throwing the main switch G into direct or reverse driving position at certainoperative periods. Un-

der certain circumstances shortly to be eX- plained, this clutch-switch-B may also energize an auxiliary reverse device, so that I without moving the main switch C, the electric motor will be electrically reversed, as well as the mechanical driving-cc hnection between the major power and the traveling support. This clutch-switch B, in the shown embodiment of this invention, is normally operated by electrical means only, and is not intended to be actuated in a purely mechani-. cal way by direct action of abutments on the" traveling support, but" it is expressly'arsolenoid operated fast and slow ranged so that, if for any reason the operatmg solenoids should fail to function, it may then be actuated by the attendant, or mechanically, by means of the handle with which it is furnished as shown. lit is further noteworthy that, in the ordinary use of the machine, the clutch switch B may be momentarily moved by hand (against the pull of the solenoids) for the purpose of moving the table to adjust its position. This device is shown n detailed construction by F igs. 2 and 7 and it comprises a rock shaft 100 actuated either by the handle 191 or by rock-shaft. A forked arm 196 extends from the rock-shaft and slides a clutch member 106 that is splined to the feed screw 10? and, in the position given it by the solenoid 7. ,it engages the bevel pinion 198 driven by the primary power through a suitable gear train 109 and thus clutches such major power directly to the feed screw. The clutch collar 106 also has a tongue and slot connection with the pinion 110 that is driven by the auxiliary low power electric motor through the gear train 111, This connection is preferably permanent so that the motor is constantlyin mechanical connection with the feed screw 10'? and may thusbe brought into actual propelling relation with the table by merely energizing it electrically. To do this by the automatic action of this device, a switch is actuated. by shaft 100 which not only controls the circuit of the motor, but also the circuits of the solenoids p and m as well as the reverse box D under certain conditions. This switch may be conwhich form the'gap 431 14; as well as the terminals 33 and 34 W\l1ll1 form the gap 3334=. When the shaft is turned to the left, gap 43-4 is closed by knife 5 but when it is to theright, knife=b closes the gap 1-1", and knife 6 closes gap 33 -34.

The clutch mechanism above described obtains slow feeds by clutching in the power and obtains fast drives by energizing the motor, but this invention conceives an era ganiz'ation combining with the electrical operative elements also mechanical stops automatically operated by the table adapted to obtain fast and slow speeds independently of the auxiliary motor by resorting to mechanism such as that disclosed and claimed in my copending application, No. 6531,64 1, filed September 27, 1911.

The support-actuated contact device A is a two-pole switch constructed to be thrown alternately into one or the other of its two positions by successively contacting with. dogs adjustablyspaced on the traveling support or by being turned backward and forward by a single dog. This device determines the position of the switch clutch B and (when the'auxiliary reverse D is divorced from the system) it ultimately determines in one position that the support shall feed slowly by the major power, and in the other position that the support shall travel rapidly by'the auxiliary motor. When the auxiliary reverse D isswitched into circuit, the one position of the contact device A determines that the support shall travel rapidly from each extremity of its stroke toward an intermediate point, and then slowly from .such intermediate point in either direction again to the extremity.

In construction. this device is exceedingly simple and, as will be seen from Fig. 1, it consists of a four-pointed star-wheel 115, that is pivotally mounted on a part of the machine so as to be positioned adjacent the reciprocating support, so that a dog 116, may be caused to impact one of its vanes and give it a quarter-turn. This star-wheel carries an electrical contact arm 117 that always is in electrical connection with the lead from 25 by contacting terminals 26, or 27,

and is adapted at each of the odd quarter- 'turns to contact say with the terminal 28 and at each of the even quarter-turns to contact with the other terminal 40. The dogs used for quarter-turning this device may for intermittent milling all be rigid with the support so as all to impact it in succession and turn it each time during the advance. and reversely turn it duringthe retreat when it does not function. For continuous milling, the intermediate dog will be rigid, but the dogs 118 at each end of the stroke may be of the click or ratchet type, each swinging freely toward the middle dog, but neither swinging away from it, so that each will give the star-wheel a quarter-turn on the first impact, but upon the immediate reversal and return will swing past such wheel without turning it bacaward.

The solenoid-operated main-Power and motor reverser D is adapted t0b actuated by hand in the manner now customary with conventional machines for the purpose of reversing the direction of drive from the main power, and it also is adapted to be electrically connected into the system, whereby it introducing it into the system is materially to alter the ultimate effect of the device A, in that the latter, instead of producing alternately fast and slow travels, of the support in the same direction, as formerly, will now produce a fast feed for a distance to the right, then a slow feed continued to the right, then a reverse fast feed to the left, then a slow feed continued to the left, then a reverse fast feed to the right, and so on throughout the cycle. The structural details of this reverse device D will be readily understood by referring to Figs. 2 and 3, in which 120 indicates a shaft jour'naled in the reverse box 121 and receiving its drive from the major-or primary power through the flexible shaft 83. Reversing mechanism of a suitable type intervenes between this shaft 120 andthe train of gearing 109 that connects with the feed screw, as has already been described. As exemplifying such reversing mechanism, gears 122 and l23are loosely journaled on a second parallel shaft 124 which carries a gear directly meshing with the train 1 9. To enable either gear 122 or 123 to be locked to the shaft 101, a suitable clutch collar 125 is splined to the shaft 124 and is adapted to reciprocate to clutch either gear 122 012123 to such shaft. This clutch member 105 is in turn actuated by an arm extending from the rock shaft 126 and this rock shaft is in turn actuated in three independent ways, c. by a hand lever, by an automatic mechanical stop and by an electrical contact system. Thus. a plunger 127 actuated up and down by dogs 128 on the table is racked to a gear shaft 129 to rock the same, and this gear shaft may in like manner be rocked by similar plungers extending from different parts of the machine after the manner disclosed and claimed in my Patent No. 973,766, of October 1910, and others. This gear shaft 129 may be similarly actuated in a non-automatic way by the hand lever 130 the effect of so actuating this shaft is to rock the shaft 126 through the gear segment 131, and thespring pressed double-acting cam device 132 insures that the parts will assume positions only at the extremity of their strokes thereby preventing any erratic action when the parts are automatically moved. The rock shaft 126 is also actuated b solenoids arranged in any suitable manner. For example such shaft may carry a rockin beam lever 133 actuatg ill A hand a sesses 5 er reversing gear 122 has so i318 sheit drive i .e machine.

i dearly epineieeies e drivthe spiiiclle, part The eoapseci to he magdriving shaft as 138 is spiineil to an annular res-ass in which ,ietizing ooii encl two rings arid 141 are 'l the periphery so that toe'one t the sicle oi. the *6 Jill is mountecl ler fiazige 13? g by the bolls 1y insintaiiieaiby spring more the magnet and into the stsiiensry pert 4 5 res 0221s? annular -io friioesl senses-t i i o4 she frsrneof the shaft 135 eesslt fsom the n sockets in the i ire soil is ener Frees received from tlii 118, the plate M2 is re flange 137 be& ring 149. rings. being adjustable,.fecilitese seizing up Wear in this device. @peretion: Suppose it is 'rlesii 'eclso mill 5 several gieces of Work boiled -ir1-snecessive order the table. "Ellis may liel lose Fey advancing the table rapidly islet-ii the firstpiece brouglit'io 'iooi; slowly i321- til i#; sen surfaced; again skipping raping; to the piece; slowly feeliit has an er1- ing until that piece has also been finished;

end so on until the last piece has been' finished; when the table must be stopped all by automatic action to enable the serious pieces to be replaced and then the table should permit of being rapidly returned to its starting point by merely throwing a hand. lever. In setting up the machine for this articular action II ICl clo 's will be plaeecl at intervals on the table, correspond:

ing to the distances between the several pieces, and extra stopping dogs will be errangecl at pointsat the extremities ofithe throw of the table to throw the main switch} C when all of the pieces have been. finished,

- and? iiis desired to stop the table at the end of its forward as Well as return'move meet. Assume switch A to be conneeisgr' terminals 26 and i0 and clutciiswitoh oe conneeizmg cont ets l and 1; and male- SWliZQll C in neutral position, and switch .59

open. The magnetic clutch is now definesgizecl, and the main power thus discor necte'cl' and the motor also de'nergizecl. New, to:

start the table rapidly to bring the tool inte contact with the first piece, the mam switch 56-0- 7 -'58- 1UW-11-13,-mo-=* tor-1l 1"o-3- l7 le-3-208--e-- 9-2i39. The motor thus goes lefthzmde eel (18-14) and drives the table rapidly forward to theleft until the first dog gives. a quarter turn to the switch A, setting it is Vertical position, whereupon contact is mae- 'Wlih the terminal 28, and s. curl-eniflows as follows: -26-26a28--33-? -34.- 29-p-'30-31-3237w-- 38 and; 39

thereby energizing solenoie p and at ease 5 throwing" clutch swiieh B to the left or en-" eloelrwiseso as to open the motor circuit lee tween 1' and 1", time dee'nerg'izing the motor (but not mechanically disconnecting it) and at the same time meelianicsily connecting the primary poweb'with she table or support to establish a slow-feeding propulsion thereof. This slow feeding continues until the first piece of Work has been tooled, whereupon another (leg impacts the switch A. anci again gives it e qtii tefturficfnc more swinging is horizontally and GSllfllJllShing-eleetztic'al Contact with the terminal 40. A current new flows from 25- -26-a-40 3 &- 44--6G-45-i:lrrough solenoicl 'm to 46--3i32-37-w38 and 39 to the lead again. This energizes solenoid m and again throws switch B back clockwise to its original position declutching the power feed and closing the motor circuit through 1 and 1", thus energizing the motor and causing it to move the table rapidly. This cycle will be repeated as often as there are separate pieces of work on the table until finally the last piece will have been milled and the table will have started rapidly or slowly as the case may be depending upon whether or not a dog is positioned at the point where the tool left the work for the last time, and the table will travel until the stop dog contacts the release pawl of the main switch C and allows it to spring it into a neutral position, whereupon the'motor circuit will be opened between 37 and 38, and the magnetic clutch will be dei nergiz'ed by opening gap 3641 in the circuit, thus bringing the entire machine to a standstill. T he attendant will now remove the work whereupon the table or work support is now ready to be brought to its initial starting position to bolt on unfinished pieces, and this is done (without energizing the magnetic clutch to start the spindlel by the hand operation of throwing the main switch C to the right thereby establishing a circuit in a reverse direction through the armature of the motor as follows 57l-122'15560 Z'17Z'-16- li 13 11 r- -1058- 7o- 320-8 u/924: thus turning the motor reversely (14, 13) and causing the table to travel rapidly to its starting position whereupon asecond stop dog will throw the switch G into neutral position to short circuit the motor on its own circuit through. enough'resistance 4-9 as wilbcause the table to come to zrrseniewhat cushioned stop, the circuit now being as follows 484t950- v 3-203--u1 -5 L-17 -Z'1614 13-117"-10-585-i-455-60 4-8. By permanently maintaining the mechanical connection between the motor and the support, instead of unclutching it during the slow power feed, the structure is simplified and made more reliable, and when the motor is to be converted into a driver for the support. its momentum is already established and there is no shock or halt in its picking up speed, nor does the current have to build up the motor to the extent that would be necessary were it initially stationary. It need not. however. be'so connected ,v and if desired a clutch may be intervened between it and the support.

time required for removing and replacing the work. For such cases, this invention proposes an automatic regulation that enables the attendant to keep the machine in practically continuous milling, and'this is done merely by closing the hand switch without in any manner altering or disturbing any of the other settings of the machine, except in using a fixed intermediate dog for retarding the speed at a station usually midway the stroke of the support, and using two additional pivoted ratchet d'ligs in positions corresponding with the outermost edges of the pieces to be alternately milled, to effect a reversal and speed increase at such points. The effect of doing this will now be described in detail. Assume the table to be at the righthand extremity of its stroke and that it has two pieces of work bolted to it, the one at the left being finished and the other at the right being unfinished. The cutter will then be located at the extreme left hand end of the finished piece of work and, eiliciently to bring it into contact with the unfinished piece of work, it is necessary to move the table rapidly about half-way its stroke to the left, causing the cutter rapidly to travel over the already finished work and advancing it forward of the cutter when it is most accessible to the attendant who then proceeds to remove it. During this fast traveling interval to the left, the main switch C was thrown to the left completing the circuit of the motor with the mains, etc., as has already been described, and the clutch switch B is now to the right closing the motor circuit through gap P-l and declutching the primary power. The contact switch A is now horizontal and connects terminal 40. After quickly completing the half stroke to the left, the intermediate rigid table dog trips A to vertical position closing the gap 2628, and energizing solenoid 79 which in turn throws the clutch switch B to the left, thus opening the motor circuit and mechanically clutching in the primary power which now feeds the table slowly throughout its last half stroke to the left until a pivoted dog again trips A through a quarter turn so as to complete the circuit from the mains to the terminal 40. Since the hand switch 59 stands permanently closed and since the gap 43-44, is closed in the present position of the clutch switch B, one of the reverse box solenoids is energized in this instance the coil 1" through the circuit 2526-a40-43b'44 60 6162 Z"63641' 65 66 32 37w38 39) and simultaneously the clutch switch solenoid m is energized. tice, the reverse box solenoids will be so constructed that the one energized immediately following the closing of the gap 26-40 will be enabled to set in motion the reverse mechanism for the primary power (which In actual prac-.

- will be no chatter or reflex action.

bringing A to a vertical position closing hand section of the table.

BESLQYQALABLE COP.

also reverses the circuit through the motors armature) before the solenoid ,m has completely thrown the switch clutch B so that the movements of the parts Will be so timed and their momentums will so act that there When the coil 7 (changing to right drive) has been energized as stated, it reverses the motor circuit by closing the gaps l267 and 9-15 while opening the gaps 1110 and 16-17 so that the circuit of the motor is 5711' -"ZJ'1 2' il55-6-0 7 58--1O l9'- Z'-'15 1413l2 1" 67l7-1--'v 3 2O-,8 -a92439. The motor now being reversed (14-13) the table will run rapidly to the right for the first half stroke, whereupon the end pivoted dog will inefiectively swing back over the star-wheel and the middle rigid dog will again trip it backward a quarter turn, thus once more the gap 2628 and energizing solenoid p which thus throws the clutch switch B anticlockwise to connect in the power-feed and open the motor-circuit. This is accomplished without energizing either of the reversev box solenoids and hence the drive will not be reversed though it will be reduced in speed so that the cutter will now be milling the work during the last half stroke to the right of the table. As soon as the end'of the last stroke (slow) of the table to the right is completed, it now becomes necessary forthwith to reverse again and simultaneously "speed up to complete the first half stroke to the left. This is done by a dog that trips the switch A to a horizontal position closing the gap 2640 and simultaneously energizing reverse box solenoid (changing to left drive) the'clutch-switch solenoid m so that the direction of the motor and of the application of the primary power are first both reversed and forthwith the clutch switch B is thrown to disconnect the primary power and speed up the motor.

The operation may be more easily followed by assuming that the milling-table on which the work is to be bolted consists primarily of two sections or portions, 2'. 6., the right-hand half-section and the left-hand half-section. Now, let the workman belt a casting to-be-machined onto the right-hand half-section; leaving the left-hand half-section blank and with'its left-hand end positioned underneath the milling-cutter. He now starts the machine, and the tab e forthwith makes a' quicktraverse to the left through a distance of about half its length until the blank section has been moved to the left quite clear of the cutter. The cutter is now about to be brought into tooling relation with the work bolted on the right This having been done, the rate of table travel is then abruptly reduced to a so-called feed although its advance toward the left is maintained, so that, when the cutter comes into contact with the work, the rate of travel will be commensurate with the work ,to be done. This travel of the table toward the left will continue. until the tool has passed entirely through the work; all of which consumes quite a little time. Now, during this last half-stroke, the blank left-hand table-sec? tion has been slowly advancing to the left (while entirely clear of the cutter) and its position has been such that it has been quite accessible to the workman for the purpose of bolting a second piece of work onto the left-hand section, and the time interval will also be suiiicient since the workman can detach a finished casting and attach a new piece of work during the ordinary tooling operation. There is, therefore, no loss of time because, very shortly after the workman has bolted on the second casting, the tooling operation on the casting at the right-hand table-section will have been completed, and the next step of the cycle may then take place. This step is an automatic reversal'of the direction of the travel of the table concomitantly with a change of its rate of travel, so that the table now makes a quick-traverse to the right for say about a half-stroke, thereby bringing the cutter back over the just-finished surface of the right-hand casting; thereby bringing it into the position from which it may begin its slow advance to tool the second casting bolted on the left-hand table section. At this point the rate of travel of the table is abruptly reduced to a feed, although the direction of movcnent is still maintained toward the left. The milling cutter begins tooling the second casting and this operation involves a considerable timeinterval, as previously described, and, dur-' ing this second time-interval, the first piece of work is clear of the'cutter and the table is advancing toward the right so slowly that the workman is enabled to remove the finished piece and replace it by a third casting before the table starts quickly to the left to bring the tool into working position with this third casting. This cycle of operations is thus automatically carried out independently of any hand operations by the attendant so that the machine is practically continuously milling; skipping rapidly from one piece to the other to save time; and durpurely mechanical controls in the sense that.

vention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that, from the standpo nt of the prior fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and therefore such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended with in the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims.

Having thus described this invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United .Statos:-

1. A control system of the nature disclosed, combining a traveling support, a power-driven prime mover, a, mechanical connection extending irom said prime mover to said support for feeding the same forwardly at a reduced rate, a dynamo actuated by said prime mover, an auxiliary electric motor deriving energy from said prime mover and. adapted rapidly to forwardly propel said support, and clutch mechanism adapted alternatively to establish an operative propelling relation between saidconnection or said motor and said support.

2. A control-system of the nature disclosed combining-a traveling support, a me chanical power-driven means for feeding the same forwardly at a reduced rate, an auxiliary electric motor adapted rapidly to for- Wardly propel said support, clutch mechanism adapted alternatively to establish an operative propelling relation between said means or said motor and said support, and a contact instrumentality actuated. by said traveling support for operating said clutch mechanism.

3. A control-system of the nature disclosed combining a traveling support, a power-driven means, an auxiliary motor, a clutch for establishing-a forward driving relation between said support and. either said means or said motor, an electro-magnetic instrumentality for controlling the action of said clutch, and a contact-system actuated by said support for determining the action of said instrumentality.

4. A control-system of the nature (115- closed combining a traveling support, power-driven means adapted to feed the same forwardly slowly, an auxiliary motor adapted rapidly to forwardly propel said BLE COP.

support, means alternately establishing an operative propelling relation between said means or said motor and said support, an instrumentality controlling said latter means, and a support-actuated means for determining the action of said instrumen tality.

5.. A. control-system of the nature disclosed combining a traveling support, means for reciprocating said support back and forth between. extreme positions, and auto matic control mechanism for said means for 6. i contro system of tie closed combining a traveling snp,..ort,

for reciprocating said support back and forth between extreme positions, and auto-' matic control mechanism for said means for causing said support to be moved rapidly throughout the first portion of each complete backward as well as forward stroke, and slowly throughout the remaining portion,

8. A control-system of the nature disclosed combining a traveling support, a

powerdriven member, an electric motor, a clutch mechanism for connecting said member with said support or disconnecting the same, and a circuit-controller operated by said clutch mechanism for energizing said motor when it is connected with said support, and for short-circuiting the motor through suitable resistance to form a dynamic brake at a time when said member has been disconnected from'said support.

9. A control-system of the nature disclosed combining a traveling support, a power-driven member, an. electric motor, a clutch mechanism for connecting said member with said support, a circuit-controller operated by said clutch mechanism for energizing said motor only when said member is disconnected from said support, and

a second circuit-controller operated by said support for short-circuiting the motor through suitable resistance to form a dynamic brake for said support.

10. A control-system of the nature dision Cit

member;

operated by said clutch mechanism for energiz ing said motor on'lywhen said member s disconnected from said support, and a second circuit-controller operated by said support for .short-circuiting the motor to form a dynamic brake, said first circuit-controller being adapted to open the motors circuit independently of said second circuit a support for simultaneously operating saidv controller.

11. A control-system of the nature disclosed combining a traveling support, an electric motor for propelling said support, a power-driven element, a clutch mechanism for disengaging said element, a switch actuated by said support for reversing said motor, and an instrumentality operated by said clutch mechanism for reversing said motor' independently of control by said switch.

12. A control-system of the nature disclosedcombining a traveling support, power driven means for propelling the same, an electric motor for propelling the same independently of said means,-a mechanical reversing connection between said means and said support, a reversing switch for said motor, and means for simultaneously operating said switch and said reversing connection.

13. A control-system of the nature dis-' closed combining a traveling support, power driven means for propelling the same, an

electric motor for propelling the same independently of said means, a mechanical re-.

versing connection between said means and said support, a reversing switch for said motor, and electro-magnetic means energized through contacts established by said "switch and said mechanical reversing connection. v

14. A control-system of the nature disclosedcombinin a traveling support, power driven means or propelling the same,- a clutch for disconnecting the driving connectlon between said means and said support,

an electric motor for propelling the support 7 1 independently of said means, a mechanical reversing'device in the driving connection between said means and said support, a re- I versing switch for said motor, and means for alternately operating; said clutch and then simultaneously operating said switch and reverse device. V

15.;A control-system of the nature disclosed combining a traveling support,:power driven means for propelling the same, a magnetically operated clutch for disconnecting' the driving connection between said means and support, an electric motor for propelling the support independently of said means, a combined electrical motor reverser and mechanical reverser for the power driven means, and electric magnetic means said support for alternately operating said clutch and combined reverser.

16. A control-system of the nature disclosed 7 combining atraveling support an electric motor having a driving connection therewith, a switch for opening the circuit of said electric motor, a pair of solenoids each adapted to move said switch in an opposite direction, a contact device operated by dogs on said support for alternately energizing the one and-the other of said solenoids to energize and deenergize said motor and switch mechanism independently actuated by said support for independently opening the circuit of said motor. 17. A control-system of the nature disclosed combinin atraveling support, power driven means or propelling the same, a magnetically operated clutch for disconnects ing said means from said support, a pair of solenoids each adapted to move said clutch in an opposite direction, a series of dogs spaced along said support, and a contact device adapted to be actuated by each of said dogs in progressive succession to energize alternately the one and the other of the solenoids alternately to connectand disconnect port is moving continuouslyin the samedirection. t a

18. A control-system of'the nature disclosed combining a traveling support, means for propelling said support, a magnetically operated clutch for connecting and disconnecting said meanswith said'support, a rotatable star-wheel having an even number of spokes mounted adjacent said support, a

and having half as many. spokes as the same,

a pair of contacts arranged to contact one or the other of said switch spokes at any position-of the latter determinedby said actuation-of said star-wheel, andan electrical circuit for differentially energizing said clutch through oneor theother of said contacts.

19. A" control-system of "the nature disj closed combininga traveling support, mechanism for propelling thesame, electro-magsaid means with said support while said supnetic 'means for. reversingjthe direction of said mechanism, an'electro magnetic clutch for connecting and disconnecting said mechanism from said support, a circuit for operating said means and for operating said clutch to disconnect said mechanism, and a second circuit for operating said clutch alone to connect said mechanism with said support, and asupport actuated switch for closing said second circuit through a source of electricity independently of said first circuit.

closed combining a traveling support, propelling mechanism therefor adapted to op erate in either direction, a magnetically operated direction reverser for said mechanism, a magnetically operated clutch for connecting or disconnecting said mechanism energize and deenergize said pole-changer, a I

series of dogs on said support, and a contact device adapted to be actuated in alternate directions by the advance and return of an intermediate dog of said series to electrically operate said circuit closer Whereby the motor Will each time be energized to accelerate its speed alternately in one direction and then in another. a

22. A control-system of 'the nature disclosed combining a traveling support, an electric motor for propelling the same, an electro-magnetic pole changer for reversing the direction of operation of said motor, an-

electro-magnetic circuit closer adapted to energize or deenergize said pole changer, a pair of dogs spaced apart on said support, a contact device'adapted to be moved into the same position by each of saiid dogs to re verse the circuit of said motor through said circuit closer and pole changer, and a dog 20. control-system of the nature dis;

meanest on said supportintermediate-said two dogs to turn said contactdevice'into another position during the i termediate movement of said support. I Y

23. A control-system of the. nature dis closed combining a "traveling support, an

electric motor for propelling the same, a I combined magnetlc pole changer and cutout adapted When energized in a p d mined manner to reverse the direc rotation of said motor and when energized in another manner to open the circuit of said motor, three dogs spaced along said support, and a contact device'adapted to be moved by the end dogs to energize-said combined pole changer and cut-out in said predetermined manner, the intermediate dog being adapted to move said device to energize it in said other manner.

24. A' control-system of the nature disclosed combining a traveling support, an electric motor for propelling the same, a combined magnetic pole changer and cutout adapted When energized in a predetermined manner to reversethe direction of ,ro

tation of said motor and When energized in another manner to open the circuit of said motor, three dogs# spaced along said sup.

port, a contact device adapted to be moved by the end dogs to energize said. combined pole changer and cut-out in said predetermined manner, the intermediate dog being adapted to move said device to energize it in said other manner, and a hand operated switch adapted to render it ineffective to \Q reverse the direction of rotation t saioh motor Without rendering it inefiiective to open the clrcuit thereof. p

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ADOLPH l3.v DE LEEUVJ.

Witnesses:

CLARENCE B. Fosrnn, OLIVER B. Karsnn. 

